Neu-Isenburg, Germany, 20. February — Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook the exclusive rally tyre supplier to the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC), has successfully concluded Round 2 of the 2026 WRC — Rally Sweden — on February 15 in the Umeå region of Sweden.
First staged in 1950, Rally Sweden remains the only WRC event contested entirely on snow and ice. Crews tackled 18 special stages covering approximately 300 kilometers in total. With speeds reaching up to 200 km/h amid rapidly shifting temperatures, the rally placed a premium on precise car control, strong tyre grip and handling, and dependable braking performance in punishing winter conditions, producing fierce competition across the field.
For Rally Sweden, Hankook supplied its Winter i*Pike SR10W, a dedicated competition tyre equipped with specially designed ice-rally stud pins, supporting stable rally operations even in the most severe icy environments. Engineered specifically for snow and ice, the tyre combines ice-rally studs with an asymmetric tread pattern to deliver outstanding grip, powerful braking, and composed high-speed stability on frozen surfaces.
After a tightly contested rally, Elfyn Evans and co-driver Scott Martin of Toyota GAZOO Racing World Rally Team secured victory by 14.3 seconds, winning Rally Sweden for the second consecutive year. Having also finished runner-up at the season-opening Rallye Monte-Carlo, the pair now lead the championship standings on 60 points.
The 2026 WRC now moves to Round 3 — Safari Rally Kenya — which will take place around Naivasha from March 12 to 15. Widely regarded as one of the most demanding off-road events on the WRC calendar, the rally features extreme heat, muddy surfaces, and rapidly changing weather conditions that test both crews and machinery to the limit.
